Although cellular phones and other wireless devices were originally used for basic call placement, mobile phones now incorporate many new technologies and features. For example, data messaging in the form of SMS or MMS is common. Additionally, internet connectivity over cellular networks and wireless internet access points (e.g., using Wi-Fi, etc.) has enabled internet browsing, content downloading, mobile commerce transactions, email activity, and the like.
With the advent of these new features and the services to support such features, cellular providers and other wireless industry participants have realized a need for information on usage of these features and services. Consumer usage information is desirable for advertising, marketing, strategic business planning, and various other business uses. However, obtaining such information has proven to be costly, difficult, or otherwise impossible using conventional data collection techniques.
For example, conventional data collection techniques are unable to obtain usage information related to “on-portal” and “off-portal” usage. On-portal usage refers to interaction with an internet website (e.g., uploading to, downloading from, etc.) of a carrier providing wireless service for the cellular phone, while off-portal usage is interaction with an internet website which is not affiliated with the carrier. Although on-portal usage may be monitored by the carrier (e.g., by monitoring internet activity with servers hosting their internet portals), it is difficult and/or impossible for third-parties to monitor such usage. Further, off-portal usage cannot be directly monitored by carriers given that the interaction is not with servers of the respective carriers.
Collection of “on-network” and “off-network” data usage is also limited using the conventional collection techniques. On-network data usage refers to interaction over a network (e.g., a cellular network) of a carrier providing wireless service for the cellular phone, while off-network data usage is interaction over a network which is not affiliated with the carrier. Although on-network data usage may be monitored by the carrier, it is difficult and/or impossible for third-parties to monitor such usage. Further, off-network data usage cannot be directly monitored by carriers given that the interaction is over networks affiliated with other business entities.
Conventional data collection techniques are also inadequate to monitor interactive and/or “real-time” usage. For example, methodologies to monitor usage associated with streaming media (e.g., mobile TV, internet radio, etc.), interactive gaming, and mobile conferencing have neither been proposed nor devised.
Additionally, many cellular phones and other wireless devices are now equipped for wireless internet protocol (IP) communication (e.g., Wi-Fi, etc.). Wireless IP usage is difficult to monitor given that such interactions are not over a single network or via a single internet server. Additionally, there are many types of wireless IP networks, which further complicates monitoring such usage. Further, there are many small wireless IP networks affiliated with many different business entities, thereby thwarting usage monitoring by any single business entity and making payment tracking between the business entities (e.g., affiliated with the wireless IP networks relinquishing and receiving subscribers) impossible.